There were individuals and happenings that made significant impact upon
the world we live in.
Facebook billionaire Mark Zuckerberg with from single to married, 2face
Idibia finally settled down and Psquare had their best year ever earning
millions and remaining the toast of the African continent… and the sad incident
of the death of Veteran entertainment Journalist AMADI OGBONNA.
2012 was an eventful year but some would say they couldn’t wait for it
to end. It was a year of the good, bad and ugly – the monumental protest
strikes (Occupy Nigeria), billions of Instagram photos captured with #filter,
the unwanted disasters and floods.
2FACE:
Pop icon, 2Face Idibia, released his fourth solo album ‘Away and
Beyond,’ staging a breath taking ‘Buckwyld and Breathless‘ concert in Lagos, and
around the globe. But it wasn’t only the music that made his name pop up in the
headlines time without number. The 37-year-old tied the knot with his long-time
girlfriend Annie Macaulay after publicly
proposing to her on Valentine’s Day.
9ICE:
Adigun launched himself back into the heart of fans with his
massive Bashorun Gaa/Versus concert/Album launch at Eko Hotel and
Suites in March. He also made his first Nollywood
appearance, in the Laide Bakare produced “Jejere”. Then his personal life
reared its ugly head once again, as 9ice denied his Abuja lover and babies.
AKON AND NIGERIAN:
Nigerian music has never enjoyed such a great relationship with
an American star as it did this year with Senegalese-American singer, Akon.
The
Konvict Music boss did not only collaborate with three Nigerian musicians, he
also spent time in the country, breezing in and out at will.
ALIKO DANGOTE:
Forbes named Nigeria’s own Dangote as the richest man in Africa with a net worth of $11.2 billion. The 55-year-old father of
fifteen led the likes of Mike Adenuga, and Oprah Winfrey. But you and I know
there others who can’t declare their assets and are richer but Forbes won’t
know that.
AMADI OGBONNA:
Gone too soon, the late veteran
entertainment editor’s death came as a shocker to many, including the ardent readers of his column in The Vanguard.
Amadi died after an asthma attack. He left behind a wife and three children.
ANDY MURRAY:
Murray became the first British man to win the Olympic Singles
gold medal in tennis since Josiah Ritchie in 1908, defeating Roger Federer at
the finals. Murray also defeated Novak Djokovic at the US Open, making him the
first British man to win a major final since Fred Perry in 1936. Murray also
became the first man ever to win an Olympic gold medal and the US Open in the
same year.
ARISE 2012:
Although technical challenges delayed its scheduled kick off,
when the fashion week eventually started, it was a delight to watch, with MAI,
Toju Foyeh, Kola Kuddus, Davido and Naeto C opening the show. The days that
followed were nothing short of dazzling, as the likes of Bridget Awosika,
Okunoren Twins, David David and Ozwald Boateng took turns to show off their
latest designs.
BABA SUWE:
From tribulation to triumph, Baba Suwe’s story made for good
entertainment. The actor is still in court with the NDLEA, following a court
action after he was detained, embarrassed and accused by the drug agency of
allegedly trafficking in drugs…
Banky W/EME:
The Banky W led EME crew scored big in different ways this year.
Apart from signing on two new acts, Shaydee and Niyola, the crew kicked
off their first ever UK & US tours in June with Wizkid, Skales and DJ
Xclusive. Better days came with the release of their
compilation album, a December concert that took over
Lagos.
BEYONCE:
Queen B, as she likes to call herself, gave birth to Blue Ivy
Carter on January 7, 2012, but didn’t let being a mum
stop her from being a global pop icon. She performed at her husband Jay-Z’s
concert at the prestigious Carnegie Hall and during the opening of the Barclays
Center, co-owned by Jay-Z. She gave in to the online world as she opened her
Tumblr account. During the heat of the presidential election, Beyoncé,
alongside her husband, hosted Barack Obama to a fundraising dinner at the 40/40
Club. As the year wound down
she inked a $50 million deal with Pepsi.
BEZ:
The Cobhams Asuquo protégé tasted success in 2012, taking his
music outside Nigeria, His duet ‘Stupid Song’ with singer Praiz was the first
ever-Nigerian music video to be premiered worldwide, via international network
channel BET. And ended the year with his massively successful concert.
BIG BROTHER AFRICA:
The continent’s most watched reality show continued to bring in
the high ratings. After three years of dominance, a Nigerian failed to win this
year’s edition. However, Nigeria’s representative Goldie had a lot of people
talking, with her on-screen romance with Prezzo and the exit of Chris and Ola
from the competition.
BOBBY BROWN:
Brown’s name was dragged back into the media when his Ex wife
Whitney Houston died in February. He later continued his music tour, even making a stop in
Nigeria. He was arrested twice for drunk driving in the latter
part of the year and even got remarried.
BOKO HARAM:
It’s getting clear, with each attack, that the Boko Haram sect
is a political struggle wearing the mask of religion. And while those in power
remain confused and clueless about how to save the nation from the disaster,
the sect continues to wreak havoc, with hundreds of deaths recorded this year
alone.
CALABAR FESTIVAL:
This year is the 12th edition of the annual festival, but it’s
still going strong. With its usual display of colours and excitement, the 2012
edition ran for 32 days, with performances from musicians and comedians, among
others. And for the first time had a 24-hour channel on DSTV to promote Africa’s
biggest carnival.
CHANNEL O AWARDS:
In all, thirteen Nigerian acts were nominated for the awards and six awards were won. D’banj carted away two awards and Davido, Brymo and P Square
won one each. Expectedly, it was met with mixed reactions from non-Nigerians,
who thought it was an arrangement to promote Nigerian music in South Africa.
CHARLY BOY:
The 61-year-old man/grandfather does not matter in a man’s quest
to be talked about. Charly Boy gave the media a lot to write about, starting
with his self-arranged lying-in-state. Weeks after, he discovered his alter
ego, Ms Linda, whom he flaunted at every available opportunity, dressing up to
look like a woman. His deal as a Nigerian Idol judge came to an abrupt end when
some of his naked pictures hit the Internet.
CHINUA ACHEBE:
There is no excuse not to know whom Chinua Achebe is, not with
the release of his much talked about novel, There Was A Country, which got a
lot wondering what his true intentions were. While some Igbos cheered the book
for revisiting a topic like Biafra following the death of Biafran leader
Ojukwu, others condemned it, accusing it of being capable of causing unrest,
especially at such a sensitive period in the nation.
CHIOMA AJUNWA:
The Olympics gold medalist who’s also a divisional Police
officer (DPO) made the headlines with
the arrival of her triplets in September, after waiting
to have children for many years.
CHRIS AND OLA:
These two were regular guys until they were selected as Nigeria’s
representatives at the Big Brother Star Game. However, due to health
challenges, one of them had to exit the show, and the other followed, since the
show was a game of pairs. Meanwhile, their short stay in the house did not only
fetch them fame, it got them an opportunity to display their humorous
characters for their fellow housemates, for which they were greatly missed.
CHRIS BROWN:
Where should we start with Chris Brown? His off and on
relationship with his famous ex Rihanna, and his other girlfriend, aspiring
model Karrueche Tran? His allegedly club brawl with Drake? Getting some of the
weirdest Tattoos, or being investigated for beating up a fan? It might have
been a controversial year for him, but Chris’ music didn’t suffer, as he
released his fifth studio album ‘Fortune’ to much acclaim, winning the BET
Award for ‘Entertainer of the Year’, performing in his very own Nigerian
concert that was revealed he was paid a Million Dollars for to ending the in
the arms of Rihanna at the Kora awards.
CHRIS OKOTIE:
The Pastor dragged his
marriage with ex-wife Stephanie into the public eye when he told his congregation at his Household of God Church
that he had ended the four-year union.
CRISTIANO
RONALDO:
Ronaldo in May became the first
player ever to score against every team in a single season in La Liga. Off the
pitch, he became the first sportsperson to reach 50 million followers on
Facebook and planning to return to Man United.
CLARENCE PETERS:
Clarence has been there. He’s done that. Now, he’s out-doing
himself and breaking all the boundaries he broke before. The music video director
has never had it this good. And, like most musicians and labels will tell you,
the young man has moved from his days as DJ’s sidekick to become the ‘enfant
terrible’ of his industry. If you’re still in doubt? Take a look at this year’s
top videos and tell us whose signatures on them.
CLASSIC
DEEJAY’S:
A celebration of the art of
Deejay-ing. As the hottest and very best Disc Jockey came out en-mass to
showcase their skills in front of an audience at the Elegushi beach in Lagos,
COSON/MCSN/NCC:
There’s still a long way to go to resolve the battle over
collective rights administration. And it doesn’t seem the NCC handled it well
in 2012. A bitter and burnt MCSN fought hard, as a wounded animal would, while
COSON, enjoying government recognition (and monopoly) had a field day
reorganizing the royalty system and making sure its slogan ‘let the music pay’
was not just a slogan…
COSSY ORJIAKOR:
Yeah, we’re also wondering what she’s always up too/ Popping up
here and there, with fancy commits. But, no jokes, Ms Orjiakor provided
entertainment all year, with her soft porn activities on social media. There’s
no one, who would say they doesn’t know the shape and size of her boobs.
CYNTHIA OSOKOGU:
The case of Cynthia
Osokogu started out as a ‘Missing person’ story, only for it to unfold into a bigger conspiracy; apparently the
Abuja-based fashion dealer had been lured to Lagos to buy goods at a cheap
price, only for her to be kidnapped by Echezona Nwabufor and Ezekiel Eloka, who
robbed, drugged, possibly rapped and then killed her. Her death turned into a
high profile, case with the killers and other suspects connected to the murder
arrested and charged.
D’BANJ:
We haven’t stopped
talking about his bitter battle and separation from former partner Don Jazzy. But D’banj has since moved on – topping charts all over Europe,
signing major deals here and abroad, and warming up to become a bonafide
international artiste. Ending 2012 on everyone’s lips, with his concert in
which he later had to apologize for the way fans were treated and its poor
organization.
D’TIGERS:
They may have been crushed by Argentina and America, but
Nigeria’s basketball team at the London Olympics was remarkable in many ways. Apart from becoming the
first African basketball team to win a game at the Olympics (they beat Tunisia), those who know will tell you that they
worked against all odds, mostly without government support, to make it to the
competition…their inspiring story has gained wings, attracting many media
mentions, including a touching feature in the New York Times…
DAVIDO:
It’s been the best of both worlds for David Adeleke in 2012,
tasting success at the highest level and also having his fair share of
controversy to deal with. For every endorsement deal Davido got in 2012, a
supposed lover leaked a nude photo of him while sleeping in bed with her.
DANA CRASH:
It was a tragic day on June 3, when a Dana Airline plane
carrying about 150 passengers crashed into a two-story building in Iju-Ishaga,
Lagos. The McDonnell Douglas (MD-83) aircraft with flight number 9J-996, originating
from Abuja was approaching the Muritala Mohammed International Airport in
Lagos, with less than four minutes to land. Veteran broadcaster Levi Ajuonoma,
who was aboard the flight, lost his life in the crash.
DON
CORNELIUS:
The founder of Soul Train was found dead in his
Mulholland Drive home after observers said they heard the
sound of shooting, insinuating he killed himself. The news caused shock for the
African-American community in the U.S. He was buried in a
private service days after.
ELDEE-TRYBE RECORDS:
Trybe Record label boss eLDee continued efforts to make his
label reach new heights. Aside from signing new acts, Aramide, Rukus and Eva
Alordiah, and a new manager, Dehinde Fajana, the former head of Trybesmen also
acquired a Cadillac limousine said to be worth N14 million for transporting the
acts. The other signees, Sojay, K9 and Sheyman continued to release tracks.
However, Eva Alordiah has since fallen out of the group, following the
discovery that her plan is no longer in line with the label’s policy, as stated
by the management.
ENEBELI ELEBUWA:
Of all the deaths that
hit Nollywood, that of Elebuwa was one of the most felt, perhaps because a lot thought he would make it, going by the
reports from his doctors in India. His message of recovery also gave hope to
his fans and all of those who had invested in his operation. But hopes were
dashed when on Wednesday, December 5, 2012; the news of his death was
announced.
FACEBOOK:
With over a billion active users, Facebook has grown in leaps
and bounds; retaining a top spot as the most used social media network
worldwide. Now in its’ eighth year, the company held its IPO in May.
FACTORY 78:
The UK based media crews were responsible for quite a number of
entertainment stories reported by blogs. Week in, week out, Lanre Davies and
Adesope Olajide brought us video interviews as well as coverage of
international shows, including the BEFTA Awards.
FASHOLA OKADA BAN/TRAFFIC LAWS:
The announcement of the new traffic rules caused a great uproar
amongst Lagosians, most of who thought them to be inappropriate for the type of
system in the country. The punishments attached to the rules were another bothers
entirely, and of course, the restriction of okada riders to certain parts of
the state also triggered an anti - Fashola campaign, as different concerned
parties protested against the implementation of the laws, which affected
majority of the populace.
FELABRATION:
2012, in its usual tradition, saw artistes paying homage to the
memory of the late Fela Anikulapo Kuti and the legacy he left behind. Acts like
Davido, Capital FEMI, Jaywon and Femi Kuti performed at the one-week event.
FELA DUROTOYE:
The motivational speaker released a new book titled The
Subordinate on his birthday. It was announced that he broke the world record
after he signed 100, 000 books in 8 hours.
FEMI KUTI TURNS 50:
The Afro-beat maestro, who hit the Golden jubilee on June 16,
staged a grand birthday party at the New Afrika Shrine, with a host of
celebrities in attendance. For the third time, Kuti lost out on a Grammy Award.
There were, however, more memorable moments, such as the opening of his late
father’s house as a museum, and performing in an aircraft 38,000 feet above sea
level!
FLOODS IN NIGERIA:
The floods that happened in Nigeria this year won’t be forgotten
easily; over 100 people died and 100, 000 were left homeless; this was one of
the biggest environmental challenges the country faced in 2012. Delta, Plateau,
Adamawa and Oyo states were some of the states affected.
FOLORUNSHO ALAKIJA:
Who would ever have thought two Nigerians would, at the same
time, lead other Africans on the list of the richest people in the world?
Joining Aliko Dangote was 61-year-old business tycoon, Folorunsho Alakija, who,
according to Ventures Africa, is worth at least $ 3.3 billion, displacing the
former holder, Oprah Winfrey, by a $500 million margin. Responsible for her
amazing wealth is her Famfa Oil Company, which owns a 60% working interest
in OML 127, which produces about 200,000 barrels per day.
FUEL SUBSIDY:
Nigerians woke up on Sunday, January 1, 2012 to the harsh
reality of the subsidy removal on petroleum products, hence the 120% increase
in its price. Most described it as a terrible New Year gift from the FG. The FG
was reminded of its promise to kick-start it later in the year, but all of that
was to no avail. The NLC, in conjunction with the TUC and other concerned bodies
on Monday, January 9, 2012, declared an anti-subsidy campaign, which included a
nationwide strike action, and a protest tagged Occupy Nigeria. People from all
walks of life, including celebrities, joined this protest until it was called
off eight days later.
FLYTIME PROMOTIONS:
Cecil Hammond and his gang of show organizers seem to have
mastered the art of delivering the kind of concerts fans love to see.
It’ll be
difficult to find a promotions company that’ll beat them to the number one
spot, in spite of their many lapses they urgently need to get rid of… and I
left.
GULDER ULTIMATE SEARCH:
After eight seasons, organizers thought to rebrand the reality
show, bringing back actor, Chidi Mokeme as host, and two of the past winners as
crew. At the end of the 21 days in the Usaka forest in Akwa Ibom State,
24-year-old Paschal Ojezele found The Gate Keeper’s fortune and later exchanged
it for a sum of N9 million, a N10 million naira SUV jeep and N500,000 ‘swagger
allowance.’
THE HEADIES:
With MTN returning as sponsors this year, the Headies, hosted by
Omawumi and M.I, honoured deserving musical talents including Wizkid, Psquare,
Wande Coal and Davido. The organizer’s said approximately N236m was spent
on plaques, lighting, logistics and all other aspects. Also on board as
sponsors were, Lucozade boost and Verve.
HENNESSY ARTISTRY:
The duo of M.I and Naeto C headlined this year’s Hennessy
Artistry and with the help of producer TY mix, who produced the theme song - Bartender,
and toured different Nigerian cities before the VVIP party held at the Federal
Palace Hotel, Lagos. Acts like Dammy Krane, Solid Star, Burna Boy, Ms Jaie,
Flow Sick and a few more were also part of the train. The Cypher competition
was won by Ede Emmanuel, otherwise called Manila push.
IPHONE 5:
The sixth generation of the Apple-developed smartphone was
introduced this year. The touchscreen phone, compared to its previous versions,
is slimmer, lighter, has a higher-resolution and an upgraded operating system.
INDUSTRY NITE:
The weekly talent search and celebrity hangout organized by
Matthew Ohio and co grew a huge fan base in 2012, featuring top performers as
well as giving a chance to budding artistes.
INSTAGRAM:
Although its services are still restricted to Apple and Android
devices, the online photo-sharing service created in 2010 became a favourite
social network for numerous celebrities in 2012, with its’ most distinctive
feature – the digital filter.
IROKO:
As years go by, owners of Iroko continue to give their fans an
amazing experience, providing African movies, music and entertainment online.
Widely described as Africa’s answer to Netflix, Iroko seems to be living up to
expectations and doesn’t seem like its ready to quit anytime soon.
IYANYA:
Iyanya Mbuk’s Kukere was a massive hit and helped him achieve
the fame and success the Project Fame reality show gave him a taste of. Apart
from the many shows he headlined, the Cross-River born singer won a couple of
awards, including Best Pop single at the Headies and a sum of money by MTech
for Kukere having over 3 million downloads across Nigeria.
JAMES IBORI:
The former Delta State governor, who repeatedly escaped justice
in Nigerian courts, finally got his just desserts in Britain. He was handed a
13 year sentence for money laundering, after a seven year investigation by a UK
corruption unit proved that he had embezzled over £150m while serving as
governor, using the ill-gotten gains to buy a fleet of expensive cars and
properties in highbrow areas of London, America, and South Africa. Ibori’s
wife, mistress, sister, and lawyer were also jailed for laundering money on his
behalf.
KAFFY:
Arguably one of the most memorable events in the year was the
wedding ceremony between well-known Nigerian dancer Kaffy and drummer, Joseph
Ameh. The duo celebrated their love with their baby son, family, friends, fans
and colleagues.
KANYE WEST:
Mr. West remains a major figure in and out of the hip-hop
community. This year, he shaped our lives with his music and work with the like
of Big Sean, Pusha T and D’banj. And, when he’s not picking up awards, working
in the studio or headlining gigs, he’s busy flaunting the girl every guy wants
– Kim Kardashain who’s expecting his child.
KALAKUTA MUSEUM:
15 years after his death, the Lagos state government and the
family of late Afrobeat musician Fela Anikulapo-Kuti came together to revamp
his old home on Gbemisola Street in Ikeja, opening it to the public as Kalakuta
Museum in October. Showcasing Fela’s personal belongings, musical instruments
and art, the museum also allocated a few rooms within it to serve as lodging to
give tourists a special experience.
LIONEL MESSI:
The match against Real Madrid was all the 25-year-old needed and
he knocked it out, scoring his 91st and final goal in 2012. Messi has, since
the beginning of his career, displayed a rare talent with the round leather
ball, but 2012 furthered his career in leaps and bounds, and will most likely
help him win the FIFA player of the year award, next month.
MARK ZUCKERBERG:
The Facebook billionaire upgraded by marrying his long-time love
Priscilla Chan in May. The 28-year-old also acquired picture-sharing site
Instagram for $1bn and turned Facebook into a publicly traded company.
MAVINS:
In the midst of a break up with former label mate D’banj,
producer Don Jazzy ditched the Mo’Hits brand and set up a new label, dragging
with him familiar faces Dr. SID, D’Prince, Wande Coal, and a surprise signing
Tiwa Savage. The new ensemble called, The Mavins.
NELSON MANDELA:
The South African leader spent the last days of 2012 in
hospital, recuperating. It’s his first Xmas away from home since 1989, when he
was still in prison.
NIGERIA INFO 99.3 FM:
The talk radio station which opened shop in late 2011 bloomed in
2012; the ‘Talk, News and Sports’ station has now become a go-to for current
affairs, sports, and the likes, etc. The first of its kind in Nigeria, its
unique presentation style has given it a dense number of listeners in just a
year.
NIGERIA’S GOT TALENT:
Optima Media Group delivered Nigeria’s first edition of the
popular US show, with an eight year-old winning the big prize.
Ngozi Nwosu:
Veteran Nollywood actress, Ngozi Nwosu, who entertained many Nigerians
with her comic character in the popular sitcom ‘Fuji House Commotion’, is
presently battling with a kidney related disease but that she has been
abandoned by her colleague will surely surprise many.
A source confidently confided that Ngozi is now at the mercy of her
non-industry friends who have been responsible for her treatment.
With the Lagos State Governor, Babatunde Fashola donating 4.5 Million to the Actress.
If you would like to help
her, Ngozi Nwosu - GTBank - 0052851673.
NKIRU SYLVANUS:
The Nollywood actress, who doubles as a Senior Special Assistant
to the Imo State Governor, Rochas Okorocha, was kidnapped, along with former Mr.
Nigeria winner turned actor Kenneth Okolie while they were shooting a movie in
Owerri. They were released four days later.
OBAMAS:
2012 was election year and definitely the Obamas were going to
have a busy year. Barack Obama won the U.S presidential election in fine form
and was declared Man of The Year by TIME Magazine. Meanwhile, many political
analysts hailed Michelle Obama’s speech at the Democratic National Convention
as the catalyst that put her husband’s campaign back on track.
OCCUPY NIGERIA:
Arguably one of the biggest event of the year. Thousands of
Nigerians gathered at Freedom Park in Ojota to protest against the removal of
subsidy, which was announced by the Federal Government on the 1st of January.
The protest, spearheaded by the NLC, featured prominent people as Pastor Tunde
Bakare, Femi and Seun Kuti and other activists. Many musicians and actors also
showed up to show their solidarity. The protests were slightly successful, as
it made the Federal Government roll back the price of fuel to N97 instead of
the originally announced N141.
OLAMIDE:
The young lad outgrew his shell,
broke ties with his record label CODED Tunes, headed by producer ID Cabasa, set
up his YBNL Nation label and hooked up with a new manager, Tony Nwakalor. He
released his second album ‘YBNL’ to critical acclaim, with many strongly
believing he might just be a credible replacement for the late Dagrin.
OMOTOLA
JALADE-EKEINDE:
Omotola’s 2012 was extremely good.
She played the lead role in over five big budget movies, including Ije, Last
Flight to Abuja, and Amina, and raised the bar when she launched her reality TV
show. She had few scandals to deal with, except for the story about her husband
being sacked, which she quickly dispelled.
PSY:
All the way from Korea, 34-year-old Park Jae Sang, otherwise
known as Psy, swept the world with his viral Gangnam Style dance style and
video, which has become the most viewed video on YouTube since its creation.
The video gathered over a billion views, and has made the singer-songwriter
popular, both in the media and in pop culture.
PSQUARE:
The twins probably had the best year ever of their career, recording
two major hit collabos with international artistes Akon and Rick Ross, signing
a distribution deal with Universal Music and jetting round Africa, headlining
concerts. And having a fall out with label mate May’D.
RIHANNA:
Rihanna made some good cuts in 2012,
played gigs across the world and gave to more charities than we can enumerate.
But what seems most memorable are all those Instagram and Twitter images of her
boobs and butt. And the silly games with Chris Brown.
SKYFALL:
The 23rd installment of the James Bond series returned to the
screens in October. And with high anticipations for the DVD release, Skyfall is
ending the year as one of the biggest movies of 2012. Forget what some critics
are saying!
SPINLET:
The digital distribution mobile
application for music launched in Nigeria, giving music makers and their fans a
tool that could determine the future of distribution in a rapidly growing
market.
STEPHANIE OKEREKE-LINUS:
The Nollywood actress had her hands full in 2012. She got married
early in the year, and not only released fab photos of her wedding, but a
trailer and a video. In a bid to diversify her portfolio, she launched her own
blog- www.stephaniedaily.com. She also starred in Doctor Bello alongside Isaiah
Washington, Jimmy Jean-Louis & Vivica A. Fox and Genevieve Nnaji.
SUZY Q:
It was a death that shocked many. Popular owner of club Suzy Q
(Susan Yusuf) was murdered in February by her alleged boyfriend, simply known
as Idris, at the 1004 apartments in Victoria Island. After murdering her, he
reportedly tried to escape from the scene of the crime by jumping from the 6th
floor. He died immediately.
THE EXPERIENCE:
With 500,000 people standing up to be counted this year, House
on The Rock’s annual music festival continues to ride high as one of the most
important Christian events in these parts.
TONTO DIKE:
If there were a ‘Most Controversial Actress’ award for the year
2012, it would be an honorary award for Tonto Dike. The 27-year-old continued
with her controversial character off-screen – picking fights with Burna Boy and
AY, abandoning a movie set, and more notoriously, launching her musical career,
to the dismay of the public. Tonto did have her positive highlights though –
winning the ‘Best Actress’ award at The Future Awards and her philanthropic
gesture, donating N.5m to a cancer patient.
TRACE:
The cable music network, which came into Nigeria in 2011,
quickly established itself as one of the top cable music stations in the
country. It became the alternative to MTV Base and Channel O, which had
dominated the scene for years. Trace TV partnered with a lot of events, such as
Industry Night and St. Remy monthly parties, to position itself as a body in
tune with the latest contemporary music in Nigeria.
WANDE COAL:
With the well-publicized Mo’Hits break up affecting every member
of the label, it wasn’t going to be easy for the singer to air his thoughts.
Wande spoke up for the first time in April while at a show in Malaysia, in
response to a leaked E-mail suggesting D’banj had bought Don Jazzy a car. He
got into some controversy when the National Broadcasting Television, who asked
terrestrial TV stations to take the original version off air, flagged his ‘Go
low’ video.
WIZKID:
2012 was clearly Wizkid’s year; having the opportunity to
connect with fans in the UK and the US while he toured in different states with
his EME counterparts Banky W and Skales. Wizzy also spent time while overseas
working and recording international collaborations with the likes of Young Jeezy,
Konvict Music boss Akon and others, before returning to join EME on the
compilation album. And then there was his moment of victory, jointly winning
the BET Award for ‘Best African Act’ along with Sakordie.
WHITNEY HOUSTON:
With hours to go till the 54th edition of the Grammy Awards, the
world learnt that Whitney Houston had passed away. The queen of pop was found
dead in her bathtub at the Beverly Hotel, the same hotel where the Grammy
pre-party was holding. R&B singer Jennifer Hudson performed ‘I Will Always
Love You’ as a tribute to the late singer at the awards.
Thanks to: Thenetng; flytimetv.
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